CHEF'S TRAVELOGUE
Remy Lefebvre's Spanish deep dive
“This was inspired by a classic Spanish dish given a dash of Mexican street flavours with corn, intensified with a very Asian umami black garlic paste.”
Chef Remy Lefebvre was born in Nantes, which used to belong to the historic province of Brittany. His childhood was steeped in multicultural influences, having grown up in the Ivory Coast in West Africa, with summer holidays in France and Spain, and sojourns in England to study English. His palate, although accustomed to the French food prepared in the family kitchen, was titillated by the influences of his environment.
“I have never identified myself as being a French chef, but more like a global chef who crosses borders. I don’t acknowledge them. My thinking is not coloured at all by preconceived notions of how things should be done. My travel experiences have helped to open my mind, and they presented opportunities for me to get out of my comfort zone and to experiment. You never know what you will end up creating just because you are curious. My motto in life is to: Try; taste; ask questions; and be open minded,” shares Chef Remy.
MUSINGS IN MEXICO
His inspiration was planted during his early travels to Mexico, where he back-packed for six months in South Mexico, Belize and North Guatamala. During this time, he also lived with local fishermen and experienced a lifestyle that introduced him to a cuisine deeply influenced by culture; dishes so simple yet so punchy in their flavours. It left such a deep imprint in his memory that it inspired him to create his own style of contemporary Mexican cuisine after he discovered his passion for cooking.
“I still remember very vividly my trip to Zipolite in Mexico; it was an edgy and hippie place with the kind of raw energy that draws the young and restless. It provided a colourful backdrop to my adventures. While there, I was awe struck by a shark ceviche dish I had, and that stuck with me. It was simple, yet intense in flavour, and for me, it was even better than beef bourguignon stew. I was inspired by the way they prepared ceviche and tacos; and the art of ancestral recipes and complex dishes like the mole.
“I wanted to create contemporary Mexican cuisine that is refreshing with less fat and with a more polished flavour. So for my menu at El Mero Mero, I used Mexican produce and recipes and European techniques to create dishes that are gastronomically interesting and truly contemporary, yet at the same time, truly Mexican,” says Chef Remy.
SEDUCED BY SPAIN
Chef Remy’s culinary journey began the day he decided he has had enough of his corporate career in international trade exports and moved to Madrid. His leap of faith in a career change led him to an Irish restaurant, and from there, other opportunities presented themselves and he found himself working for chefs who mentored him and taught him all about spontaneity and effective decisionmaking in the kitchen.
“The learning really began for me when I had the opportunity to open a fine dining restaurant for a famous chef called Victor Sanchez-beato. He taught me the fine art of intellectual cooking: how to find sense and meaning behind our dishes and to construct ideas and stories that provide the framework for creating these dishes,” says Chef Remy.
After Madrid, he moved to Barcelona and spent seven years soaking in the vibrant culinary scene that was thriving in the city. “At that time, el bulli was one of the best restaurants in the world, and Ferran Adrià was a huge influence on cooking techniques in
Europe. Barcelona was the best city to be in for chefs who wanted to be inspired.”
2007 was the year Chef Remy made headway with his cooking style and techniques when he opened his restaurant, Artkuisine to showcase Mediterranean-centric dishes with an emphasis on seasonal produce. His dishes were simple but underscored by intense flavours. The restaurant reflected his personal style, presented as a neo bistro with dishes that made a statement against conventional haute cuisine and how it should be enjoyed. It was bistronomy in its element, with fresh native produce shining through, juxtaposed by exotic ingredients not typically found in Mediterranean food.
“I used to confit artichoke and chips in Spain, and for this version, I elevated it with the acidic taste of black vinegar, a dressing that I really love in Hong Kong dumplings.”
“I experimented with a lot of peppers at that time, and there were very few chefs who used them the way I did. A popular dish I created was a scallop with sweetbread, accentuated by cauliflower cream, long pepper from Java Indonesia, pistachio nuts and Cointreau. The resulting flavours were sharp, hot and sweet all put together for that impactful bite,” says Chef Remy. He was also one of the few to focus on biodynamic and organic food, as he believes the essence of good old fashioned farm to table eating is the foundation for responsible eating and sourcing.
For Chef Remy, Barcelona and Madrid were the cities that not only launched his career but also kick-started the kind of creative thinking that transcends borders and cultures. “Although rooted in tradition, Barcelona and Madrid are now foodie cities with a modern and progressive mindset. Together with their exceptional produce, these cities are attracting even more innovative chefs to enter the market with ideas that push boundaries,” he adds.